If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
There would be….
- 57 Asians
- 21 Europeans
- 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
- 8 Africans
- 52 would be female, 48 would be male
- 70 would be non-white, 30 would be white
- 70 would be non-Christian, 30 would be Christian
- 89 would be heterosexual, 11 would be homosexual
- 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's, wealth… and all 6 would be from the United States.
- 80 would live in substandard housing
- 70 would be unable to read
- 50 would suffer from malnutrition
- 1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
- 1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
- 1 would own a computer
- If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
- If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
- If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
- If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
- If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
- If you, like me, can read this you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
One way to fight poverty is by Fairtrade.
We should be grateful and appreciative of what we have and aware of what we can do, indeed should do to help others less fortunate than ourselves.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
If there be among you a poor man of one of your brethren within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your God has given you, you should not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother: but you should open your hand wide unto him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wants.
Command 1
“you should not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother”
Command 2
“you should open your hand wide unto him”
Open thine hand WIDE. Really, how wide open is our hand. Almsgiving does strictly not only include the giving of charity but also the giving of consideration for others.
How wide open is your hand.
Taday and this week people will come to you as a poor men/women, materially through the charity collection, or in some form of personal impoverishment.
I urge you to follow the word of Christianity and open your hand wide.
A Prayer for Selflessness:
O Dearly beloved Word of God, teach me to be generous, to serve as you deserve, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fretting at my wounds, to labour without seeking rest, to spend myself without looking for any reward other than that of knowing that I do your holy will. Amen.
We want to thank everyone involved for all their hard work, compassion and generosity in helping to raise donations to all our very worthwhile causes.
Congratulations and thank you for your continued support.
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